Nor'easter barrels in as Maine braces for 22 inches of snow, with Big Apple inundated by huge rain storm

A Nor'easter has barreled its way through the East Coast as Maine braces for 22inches of snow and New York City got inundated by a huge rain storm. 

The intense storm surge that started on Wednesday is expected to pack on snow, rain, sleet and strong wind into Thursday. 

Heavy snow fall came down in Maine on Wednesday night as drivers tried to brace the weather on the roads. Footage showed how the snow made driving difficult making visibility near zero against the night sky. 

In the Big Apple, commuters struggled on their way home from work as whipping winds, thunder and lightning consumed the city. Stunning photographs detailed the moment lightning hit the Statue of Liberty, making it look like something generated by movie special effects. 

Flood watches have been issued from Pennsylvania to New York City as 60mph wind gusts stretch up to the Boston area. 

At least one foot of snow is possible in stretches of New England and Upstate New York - with some areas seeing twice that much. 

More than 200,000 homes across the country were left without power Wednesday morning, according to USA Today, after high winds and driving rains downed trees and power cables across Wisconsin, Ohio, West Virginia, Michigan and Kentucky.

The storm has already caused several suspected tornadoes tear through Alabama, West Virginia, Tennessee, Illinois and Kentucky.

In Georgia, a confirmed twister damaged homes in Atlanta and left 10,000 people in the dark.

One tree in the Upper East Side was knocked down by the powerful winds and crushed a car parked near the sidewalk. 

Another tree fell down in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and killed an elderly woman as it crushed her car. 

Two other people were reported to have been killed due to the bad weather. One was a young man killed in a traffic crash in Campbell, Kentucky, during Tuesday's storms.

The other was a 46-year-old homeless woman who died in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after attempting to take shelter in a storm drain.

A flight attendant and a passenger on a Southwest flight from New Orleans to Orlando was injured from rocky turbulence and the plane had to stop in Tampa. 

More than 6,000 flights were delayed on Wednesday and many of them experienced severe turbulence. 

Schools in Massachusetts have canceled for Thursday as sleet has turned into snow that has covered the roads. 

A storage shed in West Virginia was left tipped over from the strong storm that hit the area the day before. 

Salt and plow crews who didn't expect winter weather this late into spring have prepped for a busy night to keep the roads clear and safe. 

Nick Cruz, a plow driver, told WCVB: 'We weren't expecting it, but we're definitely ready to tackle it with all out equipment and trucks.' 

Utility crews have warned residents about possible power outages and downed wires as the wet, heavy snow moves into the area overnight. 

Police is Massachusetts have warned people to stay off the roads as multiple collisions have already been reported. 

Maine officials warned the storm was expected to cause difficult travel conditions, power outages and minor coastal flooding.

'Travel is discouraged during this storm due to unfavorable driving conditions,' Pete Rogers, director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency, said in a statement.

Heavy rains and severe thunderstorms were also expected to impact the Mid-Atlantic states and Florida.

Forecasters said heavy, wet snow would persist across Wisconsin and Upper Michigan into Thursday.

As the storms move northeast, the cleanup continues in other parts of the country.  Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said surveyors were looking at damage across the state.

'We will get through this, and we´ll get through it together,' he told Kentuckians during a storm update that was streamed on social media. 'So many are hurting right now, and we want you to know we will be there for you.'

Perry Snowden, a resident in Kentucky cleaning up after the horrid winds, showed ABC World News how a his parent's home was hit by a neighbors roof. 

'Right, yeah. The top of the roof took in and blew out and took out the dining room and took out the upstairs room,' Snowden said. 

Moderate flooding was forecast on the Ohio River, which was expected to crest nearly 6 feet (1.8 meters) above flood stage on Thursday in Wheeling, West Virginia.

In Rockdale County, Georgia, crews planned to survey damage to determine whether a tornado touched down in the area during the overnight hours, according to the weather service. 

'My living room has been impaled by a tree,' Carolyn Gillman told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Gillman said she rode out the storm in her bathroom and then heard rain coming into her house east of Atlanta.

An EF2 tornado tore through Conyers, Georgia, early Wednesday morning and brought around 115mph winds.